Okay, nothing witty to say... onto Cancer stricken Ruby I guess. Simplified Chinese translation time though, 'Xiǎo méiguī' means Little Rose, and 'Nǎinai' means Grandmother
Chapter 4:
Ruby was just laying in her bed, loathing the fact she had to miss an entire week of school, but at least glad Weiss had come by every day to give her the work she missed. But the walls of her house were making her go crazy. She had no idea if she would be able to hold out any longer before she would start to kill everyone inside the house.
Ruby tossed the book she was reading to the top of her desk as she stared at the ceiling once more. She wasn't sure what to do anymore. It had only been three days, but she was so bored. She heard a knock on her door as she rolled over to the face away from the door.
She was not in the mood to deal with whoever it was. She had been angry ever since she got home. And it hadn't even been because of the betrayal she felt from Yang. They had patched things over, at least enough to keep their parents from fighting. Then the yelling Weiss had given both to patch the rest up.
It had been from the cocktail of drugs she had been put on to fight three separate colds she had come down with to cause her to appear to be getting worse. She was at least a little happy one of them had been a chest infection, but that was only because that way she hadn't lied entirely.
The door opened and she could hear some careful footsteps, she heard her father's soothing voice. "Xiǎo méiguī... are you awake?" He asked gently nudging Ruby.
"I'm no longer feeling nauseated, or coughing as much dad. It is passed. I disagree with Elie... I should be able to go into school tomorrow." Ruby continued to pout. Not wanting to see her father. Bad enough the fight he had with her mom had seemed to have extended to just the previous night. She was angry that they still fought over everything petty they could.
"Ruby... you are a smart girl. Do you know what will happen if you don't take the prescribed treatment till the end?" He asked not wanting to fight her. It was something he could never stand, arguing with his children.
"The Virus can come back, stronger, and more immune to whatever it is I'm on. But do you know that if I stay past the allotted days off, it is going to be impossible to keep the lie I want up? Bad enough you had to tell Nǎinai... I don't want everyone else to worry as much as she does." Ruby answered as she turned to see her dad looking like he had lost some sleep.
"I had to tell her Ruby." Tai began as he ran his fingers through her hair. "It may be the only thing your mother and I can agree about. Unlike you, we can't process this as easily. And your Nǎinai helps me. Your mom talks to Elie and her best friend. And Yang... when she gets really down, she turns to your mother and I if she can, and if not... she turns to your Nǎinai who always answers for you two." Tai continued as Ruby pouted all over again.
"You guys only can't process it because you guys don't get I'm mortal just like everyone else." Ruby spoke as Tai cringed and began to shake his head. "Seriously dad... I know it is a sore topic... but all three of you just need to relax and stop dwelling on that negative side. I'm not going to die any time soon. Not until I'm old, riddled with grey hair, and you having walked me down the aisle. Provided I ever get a date that lives up to yours, mom's and Yang's approval first." Ruby spoke batting his hand away from her hair.
Tai wasn't sure how to take her casual tone at the topic. He had no idea how his youngest could forget the morbid possibility at the drop of a hat. "Now go dad. I'll go and take that nasty crap after I take a nap. It has not been eight hours." Ruby continued as she turned over once more.
She had figured she might as well sleep, that way she could feel like she did something worthwhile that day. "I was just checking if you wanted anything to eat." Tai stated as he walked back towards the door.
"Enjoy your nap Xiǎo méiguī." He spoke softly as he slowly closed the door. Being careful to not make any loud noise.
Once Ruby heard the footsteps at pass under she let her eyes close. She just wanted to sleep a little, however her sleep was interrupted by her phone going off. 'I'm not checking that. It is not worth it. It is probably just a check up or cheer up from Weiss... maybe Yang.' Ruby thought as she pulled her blanket up more.
The burning curiosity was just nagging away at the back of her mind won out. She turned over to grab her phone to see a message from a number she didn't recognise. She shrugged and opened up the message.
I hope you are feeling better. I hope it will make you feel a bit better I didn't beat blondie to near death yet.
R~ I'm sorry... who is this? And how did you get my number?
It is Cinder, and Blake gave me your number. Yang and Weiss just let the rest of us know you were sick. I had thought you were intentionally ditching school for whatever reason.
Ruby smiled genuinely for the first time in a few days. She hadn't realised how nice it was to hear from Cinder. Just the concern she had for Ruby's health was a surprise. Just the simple fact it felt different to her. Cinder's concern didn't seem like something bitter to her. It felt nice.
R~ I would never 'ditch' school. I like school. But I suppose it is a bonus I got your number. Downside, I feel better, but because my doctor told my parents that I should be out for the rest of the week.
C~ Well, I'm no doctor, but that makes some sense... but the bell just went, I'll text you after school.
R~ Okay, try and enjoy the rest of the day... I'm kinda jealous.
Ruby quickly added the number to her contacts list once she was sure Cinder wasn't going to text back. 'I guess I just found the only plus of being stuck here all week.' Ruby thought as she pulled the blanket up over her shoulders as she closed her eyes once again.
"I'm sorry Blake, I thought Weiss had mentioned it. Besides don't you have a job or something to get to?" Yang asked as she opened the front door and walked in, closely followed by Weiss, Blake and Pyrrha.
"Yang, sweetie, I shouldn't have to tell our friends, Ruby is your sister, and I only found out because this place is like my second home." Weiss spoke pocketing her car keys, as she stepped inside.
"Doesn't your family own like half the eastern seaboard? And chunks of every continent including Antarctica... hell you own five cars." Blake asked as they walked into Yang's living room. She could just feel Weiss' glare at the raven haired woman.
"No... my family only has land in Germany... and Austria... and Britain... I think there is still a few places in Italy..."
"You might as well have just agreed with Blake Weiss. Because there is not a single continent and you know it." The distinct voice came drifting in as the small brunette came walking into the room rubbing her eyes with the heel of her hands. She let out a loud yawn as she looked around the room and frowned.
Something she quickly rectified, unsure of why it had happened. She was curious, but knew that this was not the time nor the location to question why seeing her friends caused her to frown. She had never had that kind of reaction whenever her friends came to visit her when she was sick.
"Hey Yang... Where is dad?" Ruby asked letting a yawn slip by, as she took a seat on the couch and pulled her knees up to her chest as Yang shrugged her shoulders. "Thought you would have known. How the hell am I meant to? I'm just in the front door." Yang stated as she pulled Weiss into her lap.
"I literally just woke up... I've been asleep since Cinder stopped texting me at the end of lunch. You woke me up by slamming the door and talking so loud." the brunette let out another yawn as she rubbed her eyes.
"Blake... don't you have a job? I don't want you to get fired because you were here because I was sick." Ruby got out once she felt that she wasn't going to yawn anymore. She didn't want to seem rude. But she also didn't want Blake to lose her job. She was always concerned about her friends.
"Called in a favour someone owed me. They took my shift, clock me in and out, so I get the hours. I was just concerned about you. I never knew you to skip even when you were sick."
'If only you knew how sick I actually was... or if anyone knew... And this is taking a dark turn... stupid mind...' Ruby thought as she just closed her eyes once more. She didn't want to fall asleep, but she also knew it was one of the many side effects on the prescription she was on.
"Rubes, did you take your medication recently? Dad and mom will freak out if you haven't." Yang asked trying to jostle her little sister awake without losing the white haired beauty on her lap. When the response came in the form of a snore causing Yang to groan. "Babe... despite how much I don't want you to get off my lap... I should probably go and put her in bed and double check she has taken her medicine."
"Fine, I'll go and make some tea." Weiss quickly got off of Yang's lap as the blonde moved over to her sister.
"Do you need some help? I don't think Ruby is that light." Pyrrha asked as Yang smiled and held her hand up.
"It's okay. She weighs like nothing. I'm pretty sure Snow Pea could lift her." Yang spoke as she hoisted Ruby up. Ruby in turn wrapped her arms around her neck and legs around her waist and began to mutter something Blake and Pyrrha couldn't understand.
Yang began to climb the stairs almost laughing at her sister's mumblings. She slipped an arm under Ruby she used the other to open the door. She looked at the white sheets and frowned a little. The small red splotches against the otherwise blindingly white sheets just seemed to stare at her in blinding clarity.
She moved the blanket to the side as she laid Ruby down and pulled the blanket over a little. She smiled at the peace that had seemed to have befallen Ruby's face. Yang quickly walked out of the room and into the bathroom to quickly grab Ruby's concoction of drugs.
She quickly walked back into Ruby's room and placed the bottles and noticed the flashing light on the sleep girl's phone. 'Now... if I was a good sister, I wouldn't check her phone... but at the same time... she keeps everything signed in... I don't think Weiss will mind.' Yang thought as she grabbed Ruby's phone and began to walk down the stairs to see everyone on the couch talking.
She unlocked Ruby's phone which was quickly taken from her hands as Weiss sat on her lap. "You are not going to go through Ruby's phone. I just got done patching up your last fight. Which you were in the right. This however is oh so very wrong." Weiss scolded as she placed Ruby's phone where she was sitting.
"If you stop me from messing with my sister a little bit... I'll withhold sex."
"That is more of a punishment for you. And you know it." Weiss began as she turned to look at Yang. She leaned down and was about to kiss Yang when a loud throat clear pulled them apart. Earning a glare from the duo.
"So what was Ruby muttering. You know so you don't forget about us... because that has happened a few times... and we don't have Ruby to help us mock... or distract us." Blake spoke ignoring the glare she received from them. "She said we should get new friends for totally beaver damming me."
"Yeah... doubt she said that Sweetie. You forget I've been her best friend since I was like five. She barely likes us kissing in front of her. If she knew half the things we've done, she would skin me, and beat you to death." Weiss joked as she slid off Yang's lap so they could drink their tea.
Yang rolled her eyes as Weiss handed her a mug and let out a groan. "She just said 'I wanted another cookie Nǎinai.' The medication she is on is messing with her sleep schedule... or they are powerful hallucinogens. Or both."
She heard some soft sniggering to her side causing her to look over. "Sorry, sweetie. I've had conversations with your Nǎinai... she is a fucking saint compared to Gandhi. You meanwhile... well... I've seen you throw your sister a good six feet because she ate the last of your dad's dumplings that you left on your plate." Weiss spoke desperately trying to recompose herself.
"I was a chi-"
"That was last year. You had some wine, she took the last dumpling, you threw Ruby about six feet. And thankfully it was onto a couch."
"That seems like an over reaction. How good are Tai's dumplings?" Pyrrha asked as Yang and Weiss gasped.
"They are an old Xiao Long family recipe, he only makes them four times every year. My birthday, Ruby's birthday, Christmas, and Chinese New Year's. So if she stole one I was saving, she is lucky I didn't skin her alive." Yang seethed as she took a big mouthful of the tea as to not say something she would regret. Even if they didn't know the language.
"So it wasn't Ruby that caused you to visit. Otherwise you wouldn't have been so eager to see her get carried away upstairs." Yang asked trying to spur the conversation further along. She could see them tense up at the question. Almost as if it was hard for them to talk about.
"Well, that was the main reason. That and we are in a bad place and need some advice." Blake spoke for the duo as they grabbed each other's hands. Weiss could see the look on Yang's face.
She knew what that look meant. It had always meant one thing for the blonde. "Yang... Sweetie... if you make a joke, I'll walk out the door and you won't see me again for a month. At the earliest." Weiss spoke patting Yang's lap. "It was going to be funny." Yang sulked as she held Weiss' hand on her lap.
"As for you two. If it would make you feel more comfortable we can talk about this some other place. I promise to keep Yang from making any jokes. Or at least any inappropriate joke." Weiss continued her point trying to make it as easy for her friends as she could. It had clearly been something hard for them to talk about.
"That would help a little... remove some of the wind from Yang's sails." Pyrrha muttered as Weiss stood up and quickly pulled Yang up along with her. "Come on. I know a café. I'll buy."
Ruby awoke again to some loud yelling she knew all too well. She threw her arm over and began to feel around for her phone and began to scowl. 'Yang! You bitch... taking my phone... she didn't even return it.'
Ruby sat up and smiled a little as she saw Yang had left her the medication she needed to take on her night stand. She opened the bottle holding the liquid and took a quick drink before she recapped the bottle and quickly grabbed the two bottles filled with pills.
"Time to go and try to stop a fight, find my phone and a glass of water... is my job ever done?" Ruby spoke to herself as she walked out of the room and down the flight of stairs. Narrowly avoiding the plate thrown.
'Nice to see Mom and Dad fight everywhere... not just when I get sent to hospital... not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing.' Ruby thought as she walked into the kitchen not stopping for a second as Summer and Tai seemed to freeze.
"Are you alright Ruby? Why did you come downstairs?" Summer asked, her mood shifting from anger to concern. She didn't want her children to hear her fights with her husband.
"I just woke up. Needed a glass of water to take the pills. Need to grab my phone that Yang took. Try and defuse whatever it is that started the fight between you two." Ruby spoke as she grabbed a glass and walked over to the sink. She could feel the concerned gaze on her.
Ruby turned around and took a mouthful of the clear liquid. "Kinda what woke me up before either of you ask. But I suppose that is a good thing... haven't had anything to eat since breakfast... not that that was anyone's fault." Ruby answered the unasked question as well as trying to prevent them from starting another fight.
"I'll cook you something to eat in a minute. Once I'm done talking with your father. Go into the living room. I think I saw your phone there." Summer spoke as Ruby nodded replacing the cap onto the final bottle. She nodded as she walked out of the room and into the living room where she saw her bright phone light showing her the exact location of her phone.
'Well, I have a message at least... wonder why they think I'm going to wait down here?' She thought as she unlocked her phone she smiled at the message from Cinder.
C~ Well, I may not be able to text later... need to help my dad tonight, but if you are feeling better Saturday want to do something?
R~ Sure, I don't think I have anything important. We can get the gang together and do something. I think there is a new camp horror movie. I think it is called 'Camp Camp'
Ruby quickly walked back up the stairs and into her room. It wasn't long before she heard more yelling. 'And here I was going to be good for the week. Time to give them a distraction. And get some junk food.' Ruby thought as she quickly got changed.
She grabbed the first hoodie she had in her closet and pulled the black article on over her head as she pocketed her phone and quickly slipped some of the money she had saved up into her pocket as she opened her window.
She pulled herself up and sat on the window sill and began to swing her legs as the cold night air filled her lungs. She quickly laid down on her chest and began to lower herself onto the small extension's roof. Once she felt her feet connect with the roof she let go of the window sill. 'And they feared Yang would use this to sneak out.' Ruby thought as she walked to the edge of the house and began to climb down the side of the building.
Once her feet touched the ground she began to walk towards the front of the house and smiled at sight before her.
'Now if I was a bad person, I would shatter one of mom or dad's windows. But if I remember right...' Ruby thought as she began to run her hand around the wheel well of the driver's side door and practically jumped for joy when she found what she was looking for.
'Mom... I love you and all... but you shouldn't leave a key to an Impala this fine inside the wheel well. I just hope she has this thing filled up.' Ruby thought as she turned the key and smiled at the sight. 'Mom... this is just a punishment for you... I got the key, the car is filled... you were asking for this. I wonder if Yang is willing to have some fun...'
Ruby stared at the lamp post and smiled. She checked her phone once more to see multiple panicking text messages from Yang causing her to smile more.
R~ Relax Yang. The car is going to take more damage. I just run the risk of a few broken bones... plus we both know I won't get in trouble. But you may want to tell them to get towards the school. I'll be along the way.
Ruby locked her phone as she placed it back into her pocket. 'No backing out now.' She thought as she placed her foot onto the gas pedal and drove straight into the lamp post she had been staring at for a good twenty minutes.
She felt the steering wheel slam into her chest as the car came to an immediate halt. She let out a gasp of air as the metal and leather robbed her of her breath. She pulled her head up and could see some damage of the car as she winced.
"Ow! Fucking airbags!" Ruby yelled as she began to cough. It was getting a little hard to breath as she tried to ignore the pain that was resonating in her chest. The stinging sensation from where the steering wheel connected with her upper chest and from where the seat belt stop her from flying out the wind-shield.
She could see the door opening next to her as a hand reached over and unbuckled the only decent safety feature Ruby had just discovered the car had. She couldn't make out who was helping her because of the helmet they were wearing. She could see a red motorcycle parked a bit away, the light illuminating their path.
Once they were some distance away the helmet came off causing Ruby to smile. "Hey Cinder." Ruby wheezed out as Cinder looked at the girl. A slight glare on her face. "I may not be able to make it Saturday... how about the Saturday after that." Ruby joked earning a glare from Cinder.
As Ruby began to chuckle she winced in pain. "The Fuck Ruby! What happened!? How did you get that car!? What happened to the airbags!?" Cinder yelled as Ruby cringed at the yelling.
"I'm not deaf! I just intentionally crashed my mom's car... as for the airbags... your guess is as good as mine..." Ruby spoke trying to sit up to be held down.
"Ruby, you're a daughter of doctors you should know me moving you was a stupid call, but at the same time, That car could be close to exploding for all I know." Cinder continued as she lightly held Ruby down.
"I'm fine. No obvious neck damage which is what that staying entails. Just some chest damage by the feeling. Which is not that bad all things considered. I mean may have some spine damage but I can still use my legs, so odds are I don't have spine damage." Ruby joked as she moved Cinder's hand away and began to sit up.
"I'm calling 911."
"Don't bother. Yang knows and the family were already out looking for me... but what were you doing out this way?" Ruby asked as Cinder tried to make sure Ruby wasn't moving too fast.
"Me and my dad were fixing my bike, and I needed to test it out. Why did you crash your mom's car?" Cinder asked, concern for Ruby's well being as she began to look over the woman's body to see if anything was obviously broken.
"It is a long and boring story. But that bike looks pretty sweet. Mind if I take it for a ride at some point?"
"Sorry I'm a bit sceptical about letting you ride something I just got fixed. But I take it that the car slowing down here is your family." Cinder spoke as the door flew open and a woman that Cinder had to admit looked exactly like a slightly older version of Ruby came running out.
"I'll text you once I get out Cinder." Ruby spoke as both Summer and Tai looked over Ruby.
"Bye Ruby."
Author's Note:
Yeah, was trying to write this for a while... but it still got done, kinda like the ending, and the bonding Ruby and Cinder had... over a slow speed car crash... let me know what you think.